Fire Safety and Evacuation

According to an estimate, in the United Kingdom alone, more than 100,000 accidental fires occurred in colonized buildings causing more than 600 human deaths. But a lot of people have been led to believe that these figures are not acceptable and that they are also avoidable. There are many things that can be done in order to save more lives. When it comes to fire safety and the law, there has been lots of extra legal focus placed on it in the 2006 Regulatory Reform Fire Safety Order. These new laws include the necessary requirements for employers to carry out a fire risk assessment and act accordingly to what it finds.  When it comes to the changes that can be made to an organizations facility in order to make it safer and more efficient, carrying out a fire risk assessment is the best way to identify these things. 

If you are equipped with the time and proficiency to carry out this process yourself then that’s all fine and dandy but it is best to leave this up to the professionals. Keep in mind that companies offering this service should only employ assessors that have at the least 10 years of experience with the fire brigade, as well as knowledge and efficiency to complete the assessment within a day. If they state that it will take longer than that then it would probably be best to choose another company to complete the task. Another good point is that by using outside companies to do the work for you, is a very cost efficient decision as well as security that they will comply with the required fire safety laws. Once the assessment is completed you should be provided with an easy to comprehend report that describes and explains time saving testing tips as well as procedures that can be carried out in order to keep your facility and employees safe from unexpected fires. 

Now fire safety risk assessments are not put in place to hinder the company, yet it is just there to fit into the time constraints and culture of the company to provide the best services possible; most legitimate have this as their main objective.  Another important thing to remember is that the HSE and Fire Service will carry out random spot inspections on companies. If the company is found to have 5 or more employees that have not completed the fire risk assessment it would be considered breaking the law and the necessary actions will be taken to correct it. Most companies do not have the building insured if they have not completed a fire risk assessment, which is a necessity for all organizations therefore putting the occupants as well as the facility in danger; this can also cause the entire company to be shut down for good. 

There are lots of ways that you can help yourself, your company, as well as your employees in the midst of a fire. In a real fire setting the way people react and the help and instructions given to them can make a big difference in the amount of fatalities caused by the fire. Facts state that you are more likely to be severely injured from the smoke than the actual fire. However if all individuals are correctly informed on what to do when a fire occurs as well as given an efficient yet simple smoke filtering device, then there would be lees fatalities present.